The Pentagon has already issued its warnings to Moscow that the move can only escalate the already unsafe situation in Syria’s airspace, according to ITAR-TASS.
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The foreign ministers of Russia and Turkey are set to meet in Belgrade Thursday, amid a row between the nations over Turkey’s downing of a Russian jet over the Syrian-Turkish border last month.
Russian Federation and Turkey have severed political cooperation for the foreseeable future.
Speaking at a separate meeting honoring Russian military officers for their action in Syria, Putin said “positive things have happened there thanks to you and your comrades, who have been working in the air, and, in fact, have been leading the Syrian military units”. A picture taken on October 3, 2015 shows Russian Sukhoi SU-30 SM fighter jets landing on a runway at the Hmeimim airbase in the Syrian province of Latakia. The missiles are reportedly capable of hitting targets up to 37 miles.
If Russian supplies are reduced, U.S. LPG exporters could make up for the shortfall, increasing the U.S. share in Turkey’s LPG imports to around 12 -14 percent next year, from the current 6 percent, an unidentified source at a Turkish import company was quoted by Reuters as saying.
The strikes have so far failed to dislodge the militants from a swathe of territory where they have proclaimed a Caliphate to rule over all Muslims, although Washington and its allies say they have helped halt the fighters’ advance.
In response to Turkey’s refusal to apologise Russia has struck back with a string of economic measures – including the suspension of a multi-million pipeline meant to carry Russian gas to Turkey and other European countries.
Putin also called on lawmakers to work toward improving the business climate in the country, slamming inspection bodies’ excessive checks on entrepreneurs.
“We know the value of the Turkish president’s word”.
“Yes, the Turkish regime sided with terrorism when it shot down our plane, but we must think about the future”, he said. Today Turkish Prime Minister, Ahmet Davutoglu also denied the Russian claims and told journalists that it is out of question for Turkey to engage in oil trade with Daesh.
He added that Turkey is the main buyer of smuggled oil coming from Iraq and Syria.
If Russia’s charges prove true regarding Erdogan’s financial ties to ISIS from the very top, it would prove disastrous for the Turkish state’s reputation. Putin alleges the plane was shot down in retaliation for Russian bombing campaigns against ISIS oil smugglers, many of whom do business on the Turkish black market.
“We are not that dishonest as to buy oil from terrorists”.
“If we will be honest enough in our intention to disrupt the channels of financial support to terrorists in Syria and Turkey for a start, and also in Libya, we will be able to defeat terrorism swiftly and successfully”, Ivanov said.
“Turkey has not lost its moral values so as to buy oil from a terrorist organisation”, he added.
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Lt.-Gen. Sergei Rudskoi of the Russian military’s General Staff said Russian airstrikes on the IS oil infrastructure in Syria had halved the militants’ profits.
